1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to candles, specifically to self-extinguishing candles
2. Description of the Prior Art
Candles have been produced and used for centuries for lighting and, more recently, for ambiance through the use of design, color and fragrances in the candle.
However, candles, by there nature, present an open flame which can burn for many hours until the candle fuel is consumed if not extinguished. This poses a hazard of fire in the home if the residents forget or neglect to extinguish the candle flame after wanting or needing its use has ended. Left unattended, the candle may be accidentally toppled by a pet or small child, causing a fire. The candle, as it burns, reduces in height, thereby lowering the flame and exposing any combustible materials around the base of the candle to elevated temperatures.
To avoid or prevent these fire hazards, the prior art contains examples of self-extinguishing candles. Generally, these self-extinguishing candles provide a means for extinguishing the candle flame after a certain fraction of the candle and its wick section have been burnt or melted. The candle wick can later be relit, and the flame continues until the next section of wick has burned.
For example, Lynch, U.S. Pat. No. 1,067,184, describes a candle which self-extinguishes at a predetermined height above the base. The wick within the candle is split into two sections, an upper and lower sections. Between the two wick sections is a gap, large enough that a flame burning on the upper section could not ignite the lower section. A wire traverses the gap, the ends of which are wrapped around the proximate ends of the two wick sections. As the candle burns, its overall height decreases until the wax surrounding the bottom end of the upper wick section melts and that bottom end is within the pool of molten wax. At this point the wire wrapped around the two wick sections serves to support the upper wick section, as the lower section is still firmly embedded within solid wax. But once the wax pool is lowered below the bottom end of the upper wick section, no more wax can diffuse into the upper wick section and the flame extinguishes.
Lynch provides an adequate means for self-extinguishing a candle before its flame becomes too close to the surrounding surface. But, it can self-extinguish only one time and cannot self-extinguish at any earlier point.
Likewise, Ferguson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,914, provides a means for self-extinguishing a candle flame prior to burning too close to its base. In Ferguson, the wick passes snugly through a tubular collar and, below that, an insulating spacer. The length of the spacer, and thereby the height at which the collar is disposed, is predetermined. Once the wick burns down to and into upper edge of the collar, the surrounding molten wax flows over the wick end, smothering the flame. Like Lynch, Ferguson provides a means for safely self-extinguishing a candle at a safe height above its base and the surrounding surfaces. However, it also can not be reignited nor extinguished at any other height above the final extinguishing height.
In comparison, Snuggs, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,286, teaches of a self-extinguishing candle which can be extinguished and reignited multiple times at intervals down the candle. The candle is comprised of a candle body and a longitudinal wick, like standard candle designs. A noncombustible collar is provided at the top surface of the candle, surrounding the wick. A series of apertures or boreholes are radially disposed at varying intervals down the height of the candle. A short rod is inserted into each borehole or aperture. The candle operates by first lighting the wick. The heat of the candle flame heats the collar, causing it to melt the immediately surrounding wax and sink down into the candle body. As the wick burns and is consumed, the collar sinks progressively lower, until the collar contacts the first set of apertures and their rods and is held at that position. The wick continues to burn downward, until it is below the top edge of the collar. The surrounding wax pool then smothers the candle flame. When the candle is desired to be relit, the first set of rods are removed, wax is removed from the interior of the collar to expose a suitable length of wick, and the wick is relit. The process described above repeats until the collar reaches the second set of apertures and rods, and is again extinguished. Snuggs teaches of a self-extinguishing candle that can extinguish and be relit multiple times down its length. However, the design is not usable in a container candle, as the radially disposed rods could not be removed through a standard container. It also requires removing wax from around the candle prior to relighting, as no portion, or an insufficient portion, of the wick remains exposed after the prior extinguishing step.
Mack, US Publication No. 2004/0091829, adopts a similar technique as Lynch, but has a plurality of wick segments along the length of the candle, each separated by a gap. However, in Mack, the gap is filled with a noncombustible, cylindrical material which supports the wick section above until it is consumed and extinguishes. The noncombustible spacer is then removed, along with an amount of wax around the upper end of the next wick segment that must be manually removed to expose a sufficient amount of wick to be reignited.
Finally, Feuer, U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,551, describes a self-extinguishing candle in which a straight, continuous wick within a candle body traverses through the open center channels of a collinear series of devices. A small detent is disposed in the top surface of each device, surrounding the channel through which the wick passes. The uppermost device is embedded at some length below the top surface of the unused candle. Once the candle is first lit, the wick burns down to the top surface of the first device. The wick burns down to the first device and into the small detent. Molten wax in the detent then extinguishes the flame. The device is then removed, exposing the next section of wick which had been within the channel of the first devices. The cone section at the top of the first device leaves a small cavity, free of wax, in the top surface surrounding the newly exposed wick, which is then suitable for relighting. This process can be repeated until the candle is consumed. However, the devices are large and expensive to manufacture, and removal of each device can fracture and mar the surface of the candle, leaving an unattractive appearance. Also, in many cases a newly lit section of wick will be smothered by the wax melting from the walls of the cavity within which the wick is disposed.
A self-extinguishing candle that presents a sufficient length of wick above the surface of resolidified wax after each cycle of use and extinguishing is desirous.